


Say "Thank You"

by OndoriNaramaki



Series: Lucha Underground Snippets [6]
Category: Lucha Underground
Genre: And he does not deserve the bad things that happen to him, Gen, Hernandez is a butt, Johnny is observant, Puma is a poor precious baby
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-12
Updated: 2017-05-12
Packaged: 2018-10-31 03:18:44
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,171
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10890597
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/OndoriNaramaki/pseuds/OndoriNaramaki
Summary: Someone isn't happy with Puma after his title defending match against Cuerno. This could spell pain for our champion.





	Say "Thank You"

**Author's Note:**

> Why does poor Puma have to defend his title so many times in such a short period? It. Not. Fair!

On his way to get a workout in, Puma is suddenly hit by a heavy weight slamming into him and pinning him to the unforgiving concrete in the gym, an arm pulled back behind him. _Who-_

"Don't think you can slip out of this hold, _niño_ ; I specialize in pins." 

_Hernandez_

He emphasizes his point by pulling back harder on Puma's arm, the pressure starting to become painful. And he's right, Puma can't shake the hold thanks to how deceptively heavy Hernandez is, and how admittedly good his technique is. He even has Puma's other arm pinned to his side so he can't use it to shake the bigger man off him.

"I couldn't help but notice that you didn't thank me for that assist I gave you in the match today. All I'm asking is for a little gratitude and I'll let you go." Hernandez says airily. "Just 2 small words." 

_What?_  
In response Puma just tries to struggle his way out again, to no avail. It's not like he could do what Hernandez is asking even if he were willing to. _Does Hernandez not know?_ Besides, Puma didn't need his help in the fight, he didn't ask for it, and he certainly didn't want it. 

"What was that? I couldn't hear you." He pulls the arm back even further and now it's really starting to hurt, so Puma's struggling only intensifies and he shakes his head side to side. A broken arm (caused by one of his teammates no less) is the _last_ thing he needs right now.

"C'mon, _gatito_ , it's just 2 little words." He says as he continues to pull evermore towards the breaking point.

Puma holds his breath and stops his struggling, knowing it's not getting him anywhere, and glares straight forward, gritting his teeth at the pain.  
He feels his arm about to give when the pressure suddenly disappears, and he's left lightly gasping in relief, still unable to pull in air properly thanks to the weight still on his back.

"Wow, you sure are stubborn." Hernandez says as he stands back up, causing Puma to start coughing at more air suddenly being allowed to enter his lungs. "I can respect that; no wonder Konnan chose you as his champion. See you around, _rey_." he claps his hands together to dust them off and makes his exit through the same doorway he entered. 

After his small coughing fit subsides Puma sits up on his knees and cradles his -luckily still unbroken- arm to his chest.  
Puma thinks it strange that Hernandez doesn't know. _So Konnan hasn't told him?_  
Puma is lost in his thoughts and so doesn't notice the figure entering the main part of the room from the other side.

"You okay?" Johnny asks while approaching his fallen friend, deciding that if the answer was 'no' he would destroy whoever was the cause of it.

Puma grips his hurting arm tighter for a second, and then releases it, letting it slowly fall to his side. Then -making sure to ease his expression into something more relaxed- he looks over at Johnny and gives him a sort of one shouldered shrug and a slight nod, as if he's fine. And then -using his uninjured arm to assist himself- stands back up.

Johnny nods back in acceptance of the answer (knowing pushing the matter won't help), then asks the other question on his mind.  
"Hey, was that Hernandez I saw leaving just a minute ago?"

Puma hesitates a few seconds while deciding if he should tell Johnny, and then slowly nods in affirmation. 

Johnny scowls at the thought of Hernandez laying a hand on Puma, but figures Puma probably doesn't want to get into whatever just happened, so he lets it go. For now. (Maybe he'll have a talk with the aggressor himself later) He then makes sure to hide from Puma the anger sizzling beneath his skin he currently has directed at the 3rd member of their trio.  
"So, what did you say to him in the ring today?"

At Puma's questioning (and slightly relieved) look he explains.  
"I saw you shouting at him after the end of the match, but I was too far away to hear what you were saying, I guess. I was just curious what it was about."

In response Puma shakes his head and gestures for Johnny to watch, then he moves moves his mouth, forming the shapes of words with it, but no sound comes out. He also makes the same hand and arm movements he had at Hernandez after the match and suddenly Johnny understands.  
"Oh, you weren't talking, but just mouthing the words?" 

Puma nods in affirmation once again.  
"Ah, I see." That made a lot more sense than Johnny not being able to hear him yelling _at all_ from just like 10 feet off. _Too bad I can't lip read_ Johnny thinks to himself. "What was it about though?" 

Puma makes some rather intricate and amusing gestures for a minute, attempting to relay to Johnny what the deal was, and from what Johnny gathered by watching this rather adorable display was that Hernandez thought Puma's victory was in part possible because of his assist, so wanted to be the one to declare Puma the winner, but Puma didn't agree since he didn't need the guy's help anyway. (The Lucha Underground champion purposely left out the part where he wouldn't've minded Johnny raising Puma's hand in victory, like he's done in the past.)

Johnny deduces that must've been what Hernandez was just here about, and he only feels more anger for the brute. He makes sure to keep it on the inside though. "Wow, what an asshole, am I right? Obviously the only assistance you could ever use in a fight is keeping others from cheating, because you can _more_ than handle yourself in a fair fight."

Puma smiles at that for a second, but it quickly slips from his face at the thought of Hernandez, and wondering what his agenda might be. (Because he's obviously not there to play fair)

Seeing his friend fall silent, lost in his thoughts, Johnny makes a sudden decision, because he can't stand to see him like that.

"Hey, whaddaya say we blow this taco stand and go to a… taco stand? I could use a midnight snack and I know this roach coach that hangs around 'til the ungodly hours where even the night owls fly home. So like 3 AM pretty much. They sell horchata~"

That pulls Puma out of his thoughts and seems to make him perk up a bit, an eyebrow raised in confusion at the last part. 

"And since they sell horchata," Johnny began, "I bet we can just ask for a cup of milk for you." He finishes with a shit-eating grin. 

Puma takes a swipe at him and he only barely manages to dodge it in time, laughing all the while. And he counts the smile Puma is trying to hide as a victory.

**Author's Note:**

> Johnny is obviously good for Puma and they totally need to hang out more. Do not listen to anyone saying otherwise!!


End file.
